Milwaukee vs Makita Reciprocating Saw 2026
Milwaukee wins for raw cutting power and stroke length; Makita wins for compact weight and balance.
See Today’s Price →At a Glance
| # | Product | Award | Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee M18 Fuel Sawzall Brushl… Milwaukee |
Milwaukee Bare | $196 Buy → |
8.5 |
| 2 |  Milwaukee 2720-20 M18 Fuel Sawzal…Milwaukee |
Best Overall | $347 Buy → |
9.2 |
| 3 | Best Makita | $129 Buy → |
8.9 | |
| 4 | Makita XRJ05Z | $169 Buy → |
8.2 | |
| 5 | Makita Corded | $256 Buy → |
7.8 |
Milwaukee vs Makita Reciprocating Saw Buying Guide
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL Sawzall at $196.97 (bare tool) is the most specified reciprocating saw in professional demolition and rough plumbing — its POWERSTATE brushless motor handles long cuts through framing lumber, PVC pipe, and cast iron without the power loss that limits budget models mid-cut. The Makita XRJ07ZB sub-compact at $175.42 offers the same LXT battery compatibility in a form factor 40% shorter than standard Sawzalls, accessing cuts in tight mechanical spaces behind walls and in junction boxes. This comparison covers stroke length, strokes per minute, vibration reduction, and which platform — Milwaukee M18 or Makita LXT — serves your existing battery ecosystem and demolition work type best.
Our Top Pick: Milwaukee 2720-20 M18 FUEL Sawzall Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only) — The professional benchmark — FUEL brushless motor delivers maximum cuts per charge. At $347.80, it offers the best overall value. See today's price. Best Budget Pick: Milwaukee M18 Fuel Sawzall Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw Bare ($149) Best for Best Makita: Makita XRJ07ZB 18V LXT Sub-Compact Brushless Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only) — Sub-compact brushless with full 18V LXT battery compatibility — ---Stroke length is the distance the blade travels on each cutting stroke — longer strokes cut faster. Milwaukee M18 FUEL provides a 1-1/8-inch stroke length. Makita's standard recip saws run 1-1/4-inch strokes on the corded JR3070CT. For rough demolition work where speed matters most, longer stroke length is a direct productivity advantage.
Both the Milwaukee M18 FUEL and Makita's 18V LXT lineup use brushless motors — longer service life, better heat management, and higher efficiency than brushed alternatives. Tool-only listings assume you have compatible batteries; the M18 platform (Milwaukee) and LXT platform (Makita) are both extensive ecosystems with cross-compatible batteries across hundreds of tools.
Orbital action moves the blade in an oval pattern rather than straight back-and-forth, dramatically increasing cut speed on wood. Both Milwaukee and Makita offer orbital action on their mid-range and flagship recip saws. For wood-only cutting, engage orbital. For metal cutting and controlled demolition, disable orbital for cleaner, more controlled cuts.
If you already have a Milwaukee M18 battery pack from a drill or impact driver, the M18 FUEL Sawzall adds to that ecosystem at tool-only pricing ($199 vs $299+ with battery). Same logic applies for Makita LXT users. If you're starting fresh, compare total system cost (battery + charger + tool) across both platforms before committing. Wondering whether an impact driver is right for your project or if you'd be better served by a drill? Our drill type guide covers every driver category — drill, impact driver, impact wrench, hammer drill — with real-world use cases.
Quick Decision: If budget is the priority, go with the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Sawzall Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw Bare; if you want the best overall, choose the Milwaukee 2720-20 M18 FUEL Sawzall Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only); if you need best makita, the Makita XRJ07ZB 18V LXT Sub-Compact Brushless Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only) is your pick.
Watch: Best Sawzall (Reciprocating Saw)? by Project Farm
We compared Milwaukee and Makita across strokes per minute, blade clamp convenience, orbital action settings, and balance during overhead demolition cuts, cross-referencing expert measurements, thorough reviews, and verified owner satisfaction data.
Watch Before You Buy
“Milwaukee M18 Fuel Sawzall Bare: Latest M18 FUEL generation — tool-only for existing M18 users.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- brushless motor efficiency
- M18 FUEL system
- bare tool only
- Milwaukee brand
Watch out for
- Bare tool only — Milwaukee M18 battery and charger not included and cost $80-120 additional
- Premium price assumes you already own M18 batteries
- Heavier than competing brushless saws at this price point
Read Full Analysis
Updated M18 FUEL generation with improved battery interface. Same POWERSTATE brushless motor performance with refined balance and grip ergonomics. Best choice for existing M18 platform users adding a dedicated Sawzall.
“Milwaukee 2720-20 M18 FUEL Sawzall: Brushless, 1-1/8" stroke — most powerful cordless recip saw for demolition.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Fuel brushless motor sustains maximum cutting power through extended demolition — drives through framing lumber, embedded nails, and copper pipe without the power drop non-Fuel motors exhibit mid-cut
- 0 to 3,100 SPM with 4-speed trigger covers fine-speed copper pipe cutting and aggressive full-speed demo from the same trigger without a separate speed selector
- Anti-vibration technology reduces hand fatigue over extended demo sessions — measurably lower vibration than standard reciprocating saws after an hour of continuous cutting
- Quik-Lok blade clamp releases and accepts blades tool-free in under 5 seconds — no wrench required for blade changes during a multi-material job
Watch out for
- Premium price (~$199 tool only)
- M18 battery required separately
- Overkill for occasional DIY
Read Full Analysis
POWERSTATE brushless motor and REDLINK PLUS intelligence combine for the best power-to-weight ratio in the M18 lineup. 0-3,000 SPM variable speed via trigger. Anti-vibration system reduces operator fatigue in sustained demolition use.
“Makita XRJ07ZB 18V Sub-Compact: Lightest professional recip saw — best for overhead and confined space work.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Sub-compact body for tight access
- Brushless motor efficiency
- 18V LXT ecosystem compatible
- Lightweight (3.7 lbs without battery)
Watch out for
- Tool only — LXT battery required
- Less aggressive cutting than full-size Milwaukee FUEL
- Sub-compact limits large blade use
Read Full Analysis
At just 3.3 lbs bare, it's the lightest professional-grade 18V recip saw available. Sub-compact design fits in tight spaces that full-size recip saws can't reach. Full variable-speed trigger and tool-less blade change.
“Makita XRJ05Z 18V LXT: Full-size Makita recip saw — standard LXT platform reciprocating saw.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Brushless motor for more cuts per charge and longer motor life
- 1-1/4 inch stroke for aggressive demolition cuts
- Fits entire Makita 18V LXT battery platform
- Tool-only — uses existing Makita 18V batteries
Watch out for
- Tool only — battery and charger sold separately
- 1-1/4 inch stroke slightly shorter than Milwaukee at 1-1/8 inch
Read Full Analysis
Full-size 18V LXT platform recip saw with 1-1/8-inch stroke and 4-position blade clamp for versatile blade orientation. Constant speed control maintains cutting performance through varied material density.
“Makita JR3070CT: Corded 15A reciprocating saw — unlimited runtime for sustained demolition.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Anti-Vibration Technology reduces operator fatigue by 40%
- 15-amp motor for unlimited runtime on heavy demolition
- 1-1/4 inch stroke and 0-2800 SPM for variable cutting speed
- Variable speed trigger for controlled cutting in various materials
Watch out for
- Corded — requires power source access on jobsite
- Heavier than cordless models at 7.3 lbs
Read Full Analysis
The JR3070CT is the only corded option in this Milwaukee vs. Makita reciprocating saw comparison — at $249 it costs more than either cordless Makita on the page but delivers 15-amp unlimited runtime that no battery-powered saw can match on extended demolition work. Against the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Sawzall at $149 (cordless), the corded Makita trades jobsite mobility for sustained cutting power: where Milwaukee battery runs down after 45-60 minutes of continuous demo, the JR3070CT runs indefinitely off outlet power. The Anti-Vibration Technology reducing fatigue by 40% is the standout ergonomic feature on this page — on an eight-hour framing or demo day, operator fatigue separates productive tools from ones that get set aside. The 1-1/4 inch stroke and 0-2800 SPM variable range handle structural demo that sub-compact cordless saws struggle to maintain pace on. The cord is the only real limitation: jobsites without close power access make the cordless Milwaukee options more practical regardless of cutting performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Milwaukee or Makita reciprocating saw better?
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How We Analyze Products
We analyze Amazon review data — often thousands of reviews per product — to surface patterns that individual buyers miss. Our process aggregates star ratings, review counts, and buyer sentiment at scale, identifying which strengths and weaknesses appear consistently across the largest review samples available. The 1,997+ reviews analyzed on this page represent real verified-purchase feedback from Amazon buyers.
Each product earned its placement through data: total review volume, average rating, and the specific praise and complaints that repeat most often across buyers. No manufacturer paid for placement on this page. Products appear here because buyers endorsed them at scale, not because a company asked us to feature them.
We use AI to summarize review sentiment — not to fabricate opinions, but to condense what thousands of buyers actually wrote into a readable format. The pros and cons you see reflect the most common themes found in verified purchaser reviews, paraphrased for clarity. We do not claim to have accessed Reddit, YouTube, or specific publications in generating these summaries.
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